


In the Quiet

by electriclita



Category: Pacific Rim (2013), Psych
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-18 11:30:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1426852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electriclita/pseuds/electriclita
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reality on the frontlines of an alien war is a lot grittier than the imagination. [Written for ShassieWeek 2014, day 7: anything! Teeters on the edge between Mature and Explicit.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first piece of fiction I've written in nearly a decade! It's my little thank you to all of you fantastic people who write your way into my heart through fandom. Shout-out to the organizers and supporters of ShassieWeek 2014, for giving me the perfect excuse to put this cracked-out idea to words.

Shawn’s first realization as soon as they touch ground is that this thing is _huge_. Though the lizard-like Kaiju is only ranked one category above the crab-thing they took out a few months ago, it seems infinitely larger—and scarier. Shawn swallows as he feels the ground pulse with Sonora Black’s touchdown a couple hundred feet away, watching as the carrier jets zip back to safety, ready to retrieve the enormous, humanoid robots and their two-man pilot teams after battle. Shawn spares a quick glance toward Gus, whose features are set in grim determination, even while he feels their neural link pulse with disquiet. Shawn firms up his own expression and together they move Echo Spirit in step with Sonora Black, taking the fight further into the ocean.

It’s only seconds before the Kaiju, codenamed Splinter, locks onto their positions. On the display Shawn and Gus can see it target Sonora specifically, so they adjust their track accordingly to swing around it. The two Jaeger pilot teams have spent countless hours strategizing and simulating, balancing Echo Spirit’s quicker and lighter frame with Sonora Black’s heavy weaponry, and their favorite tactic in simulation offers up Echo as herder and Sonora as bait, but today they don’t even have to maneuver for it. Shawn shouts as Splinter leaps at Sonora only to encounter a spiked arm, driving Splinter back toward Echo Spirit. 

“Plasma!” Gus hits the display, sending a blast at Splinter. It narrowly misses the body but singes its tail, temporarily sending Splinter off-balance. Sonora Black swoops in with a heavy fist, driving Splinter back again. Gus fires the plasmacaster once more. The dead center hit has Splinter roaring and thrashing in the water, waves breaking against the Jaegers’ legs. Splinter’s tail lashes out, sending Sonora Black down on one knee and suddenly Splinter has its jaws latched on Sonora’s wrist, just below the spikes. 

Shawn isn’t sure if it’s himself or the radio screaming in his ears. Sonora Black hacks at Splinter without success, the Kaiju’s jaws clamped too tightly. The screech of teeth on metal fills the air. Shawn flicks his wrist to force Echo’s wrist blade into action and swings hard. The blade nearly bounces off the hide. Gus sends another shot of plasma to Splinter’s back which does little more than enrage it, even as Sonora Black’s spikes gouge a streak across Splinter’s unprotected eye. The massive tail whips in the water, dangerously deadly.

“Echo, get the hell back!” Shawn hears that clearly enough over the radio. Echo Spirit hovers just out of reach as Sonora Black and Splinter struggle for dominance. Sonora lands another spike on Splinter’s eye cavity. Splinter twists its head and wraps its tail around Sonora’s leg and suddenly it’s diving off Sonora, making off with the Jaeger’s right hand and pulling its leg out of balance all at once. Sonora crashes hard into the surf, unable to break the fall properly. Fear floods the drift, Shawn’s reflected and multiplied back at him through Gus. They need Sonora Black. The world needs Sonora Black.

The display pings a full charge for the plasmacaster and Gus fires twice in quick succession as they turn to face Splinter. The creature falls back in to the water and Shawn slices across one of the plasma blasts. Kaiju blue is briefly visible under the blade, burning brightly against Splinter’s dark skin. The color spurs them on, gripping Splinter’s tail and yanking hard at the singed spot. They dig Echo Spirit’s fingers deeply into the plasma-burnt flesh, ruthlessly tearing it open. Shawn can feel Gus’ repulsion and fights against his own instincts, focusing on the beast in front of them. Splinter regains its footing and twists in Echo’s grip, snapping with enormous jaws. Gus gets one shot direct to the head, close to the destroyed eye socket, and together they land a hit at the corner of Splinter’s jaw that knocks out several teeth. The one-handed grip on the tail loosens and Splinter makes a dash for Sonora Black, once again standing. 

Sonora Black lands a massive blow to Splinter’s soft underbelly as launcher missiles fire directly into its head, finally slowing Splinter’s movements. Sonora reaches for Splinter’s twitching tail, catching spikes in the wound. Splinter’s unearthly howls chill all four pilots to their cores, but Echo Spirit moves in to complete the objective regardless. Sonora’s damaged arm hangs loosely, worrying Shawn, but he and Gus tear apart Splinter’s body, opening gaping holes in the plasma-burned hide and crushing Splinter’s bones underfoot. It’s only when he’s holding a severed leg that Shawn fully feels the voracity of his anger, and he quickly drops the appendage. Questions swirl in the drift, but he pushes them back at Gus as the radio crackles to life again.

“Splinter’s signal has been eradicated. Good job, Sonora and Echo. Come home.” Commander Vick’s voice brings all four pilots back to reality, and they slowly turn back toward the California coastline.

\-----

Shawn fidgets outside the drivesuit room. Gus has already headed back to their quarters for a nap; Shawn never begrudges Gus his solo recovery time knowing that he’s at least equally as messed up over the whole thing. If anyone had told them four years ago they’d become co-pilots of a huge robot fighting aliens from the deep sea they’d have laughed right in that person’s face, but the joke soon became reality when they elected for drift compatibility testing. The recruiter had practically begged Shawn and Gus to join the Jaeger Program based on their unusually high compatibility, but they’d initially declined. It wasn’t until four days later that they changed their minds, thanks to the pretty blonde at the bar crowing about the latest Kaiju kills and calling Jaeger pilots big damn heroes. Who in their right mind passes up an opportunity to be the person everyone else talks about at the bar?

The reality is a lot grittier than the imagination. So far it hasn’t been much for hero-worship, but there has been a shitload of training, short tempers, and tense waiting. Just like right now.

Sonora Black’s pilots finally exit the drivesuit room and Shawn immediately pushes himself off the wall.

“Jules, Lassie!” He knows Carlton hates the stupid nickname, but he can’t help himself when everyone else is feeling serious. He runs both hands from Carlton’s shoulder to fingertips before Carlton yanks his arm back. Juliet’s face is tired, but she smothers a grin regardless—Shawn puts on his theatrics for her as much as himself.

“I’m fine, Spencer.” Carlton traps Shawn's hands and removes them from his body. Shawn would frown but there's no malice behind the words and he knows he’s pushing a boundary, the public touching too much for Carlton even though Juliet is their only audience. Instead he huffs and turns to her, a silent question in his eyes. She nods with a small smile and hugs Shawn briefly before scurrying off to his bunk. It’s an odd arrangement, Shawn and Juliet trading bunks as often as not, but since the Hindaki battle—Sonora Black’s second Kaiju kill, Echo Spirit’s first—the four pilots have turned a corner from their initial grudging acceptance of each other. No one else on base fully understands what they go through in the Pacific. It’s up to them to support each other.

“Let’s go.” Carlton stalks off, Shawn trailing not far behind. Once they reach Carlton and Juliet’s quarters, the two of them slip inside quietly and stand for a moment. Carlton rests his forehead against Shawn’s, trying to convey through actions what his words won’t. Carlton doesn’t voice his thoughts, doesn’t do feelings, doesn’t let people in. He never thought he’d end up with someone else in his head on a near-daily basis and two more people worming their way through his defenses, but here they all are anyway. He’s often wondered what would happen if he and Juliet hadn’t been drafted for pilots, if they’d have continued their police careers and never been dragged into this whole mess. But if Carlton is completely honest with himself: these are the most fulfilling relationships he’s ever had. He settles his hands at Shawn’s hips, threading his fingers through the belt loops on Shawn’s standard-issue pants. Shawn looks up at Carlton and inches forward to press them together from toes to lips. 

Carlton’s surprised by a sweep of energy that runs through his body despite the battle fatigue. He holds Shawn tightly, relishing the tiny moan that escapes Shawn’s lips, and leans down to mouth at Shawn’s neck. Shawn drops his head back and after he rocks his hips Carlton breaks away and pushes him to the bunk. Shawn sprawls out to take up nearly all the available space with a slight smirk on his face. 

“I’m glad you didn’t lose your right hand today.” Carlton rolls his eyes at the implication in Shawn’s tone and prods him to one side of the bunk so there’s enough space for both to lie side by side. “And none of us died, and Gus didn’t even puke in the suit room like last time! Win-win-win. Let’s celebrate.” Shawn punctuates the last word with a grab at Carlton’s ass, and Carlton finally cracks a smile. 

Slowly, casually, they undress each other. Carlton twines his fingers through Shawn’s hair as Shawn traces invisible patterns on his body, touching and tonguing in turn. He bucks upward as Shawn licks a stripe along the underside of his cock, suddenly feeling all too desperate for release. Carlton tightens his fingers in Shawn’s hair as he descends again, enveloping him in warm, wet heat. It’s been far too little when Shawn pulls up; Carlton makes a noise of disapproval that quickly changes to satisfaction as Shawn rocks against him. He drops his hands from Shawn’s hair to his hips, pulling Shawn down further, grinding together. 

Shawn runs his hands briefly through Carlton’s chest hair before offering one to Carlton’s mouth. Carlton eagerly nips at his wrist and licks a wide swath across Shawn’s palm, pleased at the sounds he pulls from Shawn. Carlton’s own voice joins as Shawn reaches down to stroke both of them together. Every touch is electric, every movement sending thrills rushing through their veins. The very air feels charged as they race quicker toward release, Shawn shuddering and clutching Carlton’s shoulder as he cries out. Carlton isn’t far behind, thrusting erratically as Shawn’s name falls from his lips.

In the quiet afterward, Shawn thinks he’s never felt more alive.


End file.
